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Sustainable programs and practices

At any given time, you will find a multitude of sustainability initiatives underway on the Georgia Tech campus. They unite faculty, staff and students in our quest to provide solutions to the environmental, ecological and sustainability challenges of our times. Explore our sustainability-related programs, practices and projects in the areas where we make a sustainable impact.

Georgia Tech has a commitment to eliminate net carbon emissions from our Atlanta campus, by pursuing a Climate Action Plan for carbon neutrality in 2050 and with the development of a greenhouse gas inventory.

Conserving energy through efficient systems, demand management, and utilizing alternative solutions are core objectives of Georgia Tech. We also have a strong foundation in utilizing data analysis, modeling and simulation tools, providing insights to help us maximize efficiencies, reduce costs, and make a positive impact on energy planning and consumption.

How we manage, develop, and grow on our land is vitally important to Georgia Tech. Located in the heart of the “City of Trees” in Atlanta, GA, maintaining and showcasing the unique landscape features of our region is fundamental to welcoming the community into our urban campus. Georgia Tech’s sustainable landscape best practices and activities encompass vegetation management, irrigation, landscape design and integrated pest management.

Georgia Tech Dining is committed to providing sustainable, locally-produced foods whenever possible, and providing a wide variety of dietary options, including vegetarian and vegan. These efforts help decrease pollution from pesticides and chemicals, improve our diet, support local farms and businesses, and provide healthy and delicious meals.

As a large university, Georgia Tech has the purchasing power to make a difference in the sustainability of our supply chains. Our over-arching objective is to “buy less and buy better.” To this end, we encourage our procurement professionals to make purchasing decisions that maximize sustainable options.

As the largest consumer of energy on campus, our buildings represent our largest opportunity to reduce our carbon footprint. Georgia Tech is pushing the envelope in its planning, design, construction and operation of high performance buildings.

From the laboratory to the dormitory, Georgia Tech makes a conscious effort to study and implement methods to conserve water. We were an early adopter of water sustainability practices, including capturing rainwater and condensate water through cisterns, drought tolerant landscaping practices, and managing storm water flows on campus.

Minimizing waste and diverting it from landfills is an essential component of sustainable operations at Georgia Tech. By consuming less, recycling and composting, we can preserve natural resources, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit the impact our waste has on local and global communities.